NHTSA Complaint #11150996 — 2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

MY EQUINOX BEGAN "BUCKING" ONE EVENING ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL REGULARLY (EVERY 5000 MILES) AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL HAVING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC- HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY OIL IN THE TAILPIPE AND THAT THESE VEHICLES WERE KNOWN FOR HAVING OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES. I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER- I DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT AS IT WAS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE ENGINE BUCKING AND POSSIBLY STALLING IN TRAFFIC. THE CHEVROLET DEALER HAD IT FOR THE WHOLE WEEK AND EVENTUALLY TOLD ME IT HAD "JUMPED TIMING". JOE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CENTRAL CHEVROLET IN WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO SEE IF THERE WAS FURTHER DAMAGE - IE TO THE VALVES. SO THE NEXT CALL I GET IS FROM THE WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR AT THE DEALER- SHE TELLS ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT CHEVROLET WILL COVER 30% OF THE REPLACEMENT - WOULD I LIKE TO HAVE IT DONE? I ASK HER- WELL YOU TELL ME THEY WILL COVER 30% BUT 30% OF WHAT? SHE SAID THAT MY SHARE WOULD BE $ 5100. THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE- A VEHICLE WITH 48,000 MILES AND THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT SOUNDS LIKE CHEVROLET KNEW OF THE ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE AS EVIDENT BY THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND CLASS ACTION ONLINE. HAD THEY NOTIFIED OWNERS APPROPRIATELY AND HAD THE APPROPRIATE WARNING SYSTEMS IN THE VEHICLES THEN THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS PEOPLE USE THESE VEHICLES TO TRANSPORT FAMILY MEMBERS TO SCHOOL, WORK, ETC. IF THESE VEHICLES RUN THIS WAY AND EVEN STALL IN TRAFFIC THEN THERE IS HUGE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH. I HAVE TRIED TO SPEAK WITH GENERAL MOTORS DIRECTLY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED WITH ACCEPTABLE REMEDY. PLEASE HELP THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES GET THE APPROPRIATE HELP - AND TO HELP KEEP THEIR FAMILIES SAFE.TY